John M. Conroy
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Michael Conroy developed the Pregnant Guppy
cargo plane for Aero Spacelines
and later founded Conroy Aircraft
to build the Conroy Skymonster
. His drive to build the aircraft was so great, that when financing ran out, he did not: "conditions reached the point where Conroy no longer owned his house, cars, or furnishings." By flying the Guppy on borrowed aviation gas to the Marshall Space Flight Center
, Conroy was able to test fly the aircraft with Wernher von Braun
. On the basis of the test flights, contract negotiations with NASA
began in earnest.
In 1973, John M. Conroy, "Guppy", was awarded the Character of the Year Award by the International Order of Characters
.
On May 21, 1955, Jack completed "Operation Boomerang" world record.
Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy
|-See also:-External links:* by Boeing. Retrieved October 5, 2006.* , by Daren Savage. Updated September 17, 2006. Retrieved October 5, 2006.* by Robert S. Tripp. Written Spring 2002. Retrieved October 5, 2006....
cargo plane for Aero Spacelines
Aero Spacelines
Aero Spacelines, Inc. was a United States aircraft manufacturer which made a name for itself by converting Boeing 377 Stratocruisers into the famous Guppy line of airplanes re-engineered solely for transporting over-sized cargo.- History :...
and later founded Conroy Aircraft
Conroy Aircraft
Conroy Aircraft was a US aircraft manufacturer founded by John M. Conroy in Goleta, California in 1965 on the sale of Aero Spacelines. The company imitated Aero Spacelines' success with its Guppy aircraft by converting a Canadair CL-44 to carry oversized cargo as the Conroy Skymonster...
to build the Conroy Skymonster
Conroy Skymonster
The Conroy Skymonster is a 1960s United States specialized cargo aircraft with an outsize fuselage.-Design and development:The aircraft was designed by John M. Conroy as a transport aircraft that could be used to ferry three Rolls-Royce RB.211 jet engines from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to...
. His drive to build the aircraft was so great, that when financing ran out, he did not: "conditions reached the point where Conroy no longer owned his house, cars, or furnishings." By flying the Guppy on borrowed aviation gas to the Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...
, Conroy was able to test fly the aircraft with Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
. On the basis of the test flights, contract negotiations with NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
began in earnest.
In 1973, John M. Conroy, "Guppy", was awarded the Character of the Year Award by the International Order of Characters
International Order of Characters
The International Order of Characters is an organization dedicated to improving the fields of Aviation and Aerospace. The IOC also provides financial assistance to persons and organizations in fields related to Aviation and other technology industries....
.
On May 21, 1955, Jack completed "Operation Boomerang" world record.